Inking mechanism for printing presses



Oct. 17, 1950 .1. E. MEYER 2,526,254

' INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jun. 16, 1948 5 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 i v INVENTOR. NEW W A TTOHNEYS Oct.' 17, 1950 J. E. MEYER 2,526,254

' INKING wscnmxsm FOR PRINTING PRESSES I Filed Jung 16, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. 8W M W ATTORZYEY? Oct. 17, 1950 J. E. MEYER INKING' MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES {3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mad Jam 16. 1948 IN V EN TOR.

ATTOEIVEYS Oct. 17, 1950 J. E. MEYER INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES s ShEets-Sheet 4 Filed June 16. 1948 INVENTOR.

Oct. 17, 1950 MEYER 2,526,254

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jun; 16, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Joseph E. Meyer, Westerly, R. I., assignor to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly, R. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application June 16, 1948, Serial No. 33,267

4 Claims. (Cl. 101-350) ing surface speed, and one or more ductor rollers oscillating at a constant rate.

My invention also includes means for driving the fountain roll continuously at a varying surface speed, the variation occurring once for every ductor roller oscillation.

My invention also includes a manually controlled means for changing the timed relationship of the different fountain roll surface speeds to the constant ductor roller oscillation for altering the length of contact between the fountain roll and the ductor roller or rollers.

My invention also includes a pair of elliptical gears in the fountain roll drive for driving the fountain roll continuously at a varying surface speed. 7

My invention also provides a manually controlled means including a differential gearing in the fountain roll drive for changing the timed relationship of the different fountain roll surface speeds to the ductor roller oscillation rate.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the ink fountain;

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line IIII of Fig. 1, lookin in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section taken in the plane of the line IIIIII of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 represents a vertical section taken in the plane of the line IVIV of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 represents a vertical section taken in the plane of the line VV of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 represents a vertical section taken in the plane of the line VI-VI of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 7 represents a detail vertical section, on a smaller scale, through the ink distribution.

The ink distribution is shown as including an ink fountain I, a fountain roll 2 which rotates continuously at a varying surface speed, an ink cylinder 3, one or more, in the present instance two, ductor rollers 4 and 5 which oscillate at a constant rate between the fountain roll I and the ink cylinder 3, and groups of distribution rollers 6, 6 which serve to transfer the ink in regulable quantities from the ink cylinder 3 to the form cylinder 1, which form cylinder coacts with the impression cylinder 8 of the press to print on a traveling web (not shown). The fountain roll stud shafts 9 and H] are rotatably mounted in the uprising ends of the ink fountain I.

The ductor roller 4 is mounted in correspondingv arms ll of two rock levers pivoted on a cross shaft l2, the other corresponding arms |3 of the rock levers carrying cam rollers M. The ductor roller 5 is similarly rotatably mounted in corresponding arms I 5 of two rock levers pivoted on a cross shaft Hi, the other corresponding arms I! of the rock levers carrying cam rollers l8.

The gear IQ of the main press drive is shown as rotatably mounted on a stud axle 2|! projecting from the gear side frame 2|. This gear l9 drives a gear 22 whose hub 23 is rotatably mounted on another stud axle 24 projecting from the gear side frame 2| in alinement with the fountain roll stud shafts 9 and II]. This gear 22,drives a gear 25 fixed on one end of a cross shaft 26 which is rotatably mounted in both the gear side frame 2| and the work side frame 21. The other end of the cross shaft 26 has fixed thereto a gear 28 which drives a gear 29 whose hub 30 is fixed to a cross shaft 3| rotatably mounted in the work side frame 21 and a work side frame bracket 32, the said shaft 3| being also in alinement with the fountain roll stud shafts 9 and I0. I

The ductor rollers 4 and 5 are oscillated at a constant predetermined rate as follows: the cam rollers carried by the corresponding arms |3 of the rock levers which control the oscillation of the ductor roller 4 run in the grooves of a pair of box cams 33, one of the cams 33 being fixed to the hub 23 of the gear 22 and the other cam 33 being fixed to the hub 30 of the gear 29. Similarly the cam rollers l8 carried. by the corresponding arms ll of therock levers which control the oscillation of the ductor roller 5 run in the grooves of a pair of box cams 34, both of the cams 34 being fixed to their adjoining cams 33. The means for driving the ink fountain roll 2 continuously at a variable surface speed each rotation of the fountain roll is shown as comprising the following elements: one bevel gear 35 of a differential gearing is fixed on the constant speed cross shaft 3|. The opposite gear 36 01' the differential is fixed on the hub of an elliptical gear 31 which is rotatably mounted on the said cross shaft 3|. A rotatably adjustable frame 38 carries one or more intermediate bevel gears 39, in the present instance two of such gears, which mesh with and operably connect the bevel gears 35 and 36. The elliptical gear 31 meshes with an elliptical gear 40 which is fixed on the outer end of a short cross shaft 4! mounted in the bearing bracket 42 on the work side frame 21, and also in the work side frame bracket 32. The inner end of this cross shaft 4| is provided with a gear 43 which drives the fountain roll gear 44 through an intermediate gear 45. It will be understood that the elliptical gears 3'1 and 40 are timed to run turn for turn with the ductor roller motion.

The manually operated means for adjusting the rotative speed of the fountain roll 2 with respect to the ductor roller motion, for supplying more or less ink to the ductor rollers 4 and without resorting to the manipulation of the usual fountain screws 46, is as follows:

The rotatable adjustable frame 38 is provided with a toothed sector 41 which mesheswith a worm 48 whose shaft 49 is mounted in a housing 55 on the side frame bracket 32. This worm shaft 49 may be turned'by any suitable device, as, for instance, a hand crank 51 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. The turning of this worm shaft 49 serves to rock the toothed sector 47 of the frame 38 and thereby the bevel gears 39 to change the rotative positions of the elliptical gears 31 and 4!] Without affecting the variable speed of the continuously rotating fountain roll, whereby the timed relationship of the high and low surface speeds of the fountain roll 2 to the constant oscillation of the ductor rollers 4 and 5 may be changed to alter the length of contact dwell between the fountain roll and the ductor rollers, thus changing the amount of ink fed to the ductor rollers each rotation of the fountain roll and oscillation of the ductor rollers. It will be understood that this manual adjustment of the fountain roll can be made while the press is running.

While I have shown and described this ink distribution as provided with two ductor rollers, it is obvious that one only of these ductor rollers and its operating mechanism may be employed, if so desired.

Also while I have shown and described the manually controlled means for changing the timed relationship of the different fountain roll surface speeds to the constant ductor roller oscillation, as a, hand cr nk directly connected to the worm shaft, it is obvious that any type of motor, as hydraulic, pneumatic ,or electric motor may be included for turning the Worm,

It is also obvious that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the various elements without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. In a printing press inking mechanism, an ink fountain, a fountain roll, an-ink cylinder, one or more ductor rollers oscillating at a constant rate into and out of contact with the fountain roll and the ink cylinder, means including a pair of elliptical gears for driving the fountain roll continuously at a varying surface speed to change the amount of ink fed thereby to the ductor roller or rollers, and a manually controlled means including a differential gearing located in the fountain roll drive for changing the timed relationship of the different fountain roll surface speeds to the constant ductor roller oscillation, to alter the length of contact dwell between the fountain roll and ductor roller or rollers.

2. In a printing press inking mechanism, an ink fountain, a fountain roll, an ink cylinder, one or more ductor rollers oscillating at a constant rate into and out of contact with the fountain roll and the ink cylinder, and means including a pair of elliptical gears for driving the fountain roll continuously at a varying surface speed to change the amount of ink fed thereby to the ductor roller or rollers, and a manually controlled means for changing the timed relationship of the high and low surface speeds of the fountain roll to the constant ductor roller oscillation, to alter the length of contact dwell between the fountain roll and ductor roller or rollers, said manually controlled means including a differential gearing located in the fountain roll drive and a worm and gear connection with the differential gearing,

3. In a printing press inking mechanism, an ink fountain, a fountain roll, an ink cylinder, one or more ductor rollers oscillating at a constant rate into and out of contact with the fountain roll and the ink cylinder, means including a pair of elliptical gears for driving the fountain roll continuously at a varying surface speed to change the amount of ink fed thereby to the ductor roller or rollers, a .diiferentialgearing lofor oscillating the ductor roller or-rollers at a constant rate into and out of contact with the fountain roll and the ink cylinder and fordriv;

ing the fountain roll continuously at a variable surface speed to change the amount of ink fed thereby to said ductor roller or rollers, said driving means including a constant speed shaft located in axial alinement with the fountain roll,

a variable speed shaft geared to the fountain roll, an elliptical gear rotatably mounted on the constant speed shaft and a meshing elliptical gear fast on the variable speed shaft, and a manually controlled differential gearing operatively connecting the constant speed shaft to the firstnamed elliptical gear for changing the timed relationship of the highand low speeds of the foune tain roll ,to the constant ductor roller oscillation, to alter the length of contact dwell betweenthe fountain roll and ductor roller or rollers.

JOSEPH E. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date,

992,475 Barber May 16, 1911 1,210,559 Story Jan. 2, 1917 1,234,403 Smith July 24, 1917 1,780,695 Alger Nov. 4, 1930 1,989,121 Von Heinrich Jan. 29, 1935 2,116,566 Engel May 10', 1938-- 

